Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) Extract Inhibits Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation by Modulating Cell Cycle Regulatory Genes and Promotes Apoptosis

Abstract

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women in the United States. Although there are effective drugs for treating advanced stages of breast cancers, women eventually develop resistance. One of the approaches to control breast cancer is prevention through diet, which inhibits one or more neoplastic events and reduces cancer risk. In this study, we have used human breast cancer cells, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, and primary human mammary epithelial cells as an in vitro model to assess the efficacy of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) extract (BME) as an anticancer agent. BME treatment of breast cancer cells resulted in a significant decrease in cell proliferation and induced apoptotic cell death. Apoptosis of breast cancer cells was accompanied by increased poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage and caspase activation. Subsequent studies showed that BME treatment of breast cancer cells inhibited survivin and claspin expression. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis suggested that MCF-7 cells treated with BME accumulated during the G 2 -M phase of the cell cycle. Further studies revealed that BME treatment enhanced p53, p21, and pChk1/2 and inhibited cyclin B1 and cyclin D1 expression, suggesting an additional mechanism involving cell cycle regulation. Together, these results show that BME modulates signal transduction pathways for inhibition of breast cancer cell growth and can be used as a dietary supplement for prevention of breast cancer. Cancer Res; 70(5); 1925-31. ©2010 AACR.

Antidiabetic effects of Momordica charantia (bitter melon) and its medicinal potency

“…Studies have also shown that bitter melon has anti-carcinogenic properties and can be used as a cytotoxic agent against many types of cancer [53] . Ray et al showed that the extract of bitter melon modulates signal transduction pathways for inhibition of breast cancer cell growth and can be used as a dietary supplement for prevention of breast cancer [54] .…”

Momordica Charantia Lectin, a Type II Ribosome Inactivating Protein, Exhibits Antitumor Activity toward Human Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells In Vitro and In Vivo

“…Early in 1983, Jilka and colleagues found that an aqueous extract of BG fruits inhibited tumor formation in CBA/DI tumor cells, P388 tumor cells, and L1210 tumor cells bearing CBA/H mice, which was contributed partially by enhancement of immune functions (9). Both cell culture and animal experiments evinced the antiproliferative activity of BG fruit juice brought about by modulating cell-cycle regulatory genes and inducing apoptosis (10). The antitumor activities may at least partially be attributed to MAP30, a-momorcharin, and b-momorcharin and other medicinal proteins (8).…”

Kuguacin J, a Triterpenoid from Momordica charantia Linn: A Comprehensive Review of Anticarcinogenic Properties

“…Anticancer activities of MC against numerous cancers have revealed that it contains active compounds that provide anticancer potential to inhibit cell growth and proliferation, as well as to induce apoptotic cell death in several cancer cell lines [68][69][70][71]. Our studies [60,61,72,73] found that kuguacin J, one of the active compounds contained in MC extracts, exerts anticancer properties in various experimental models, which will be discussed further in the following sections.…”